President Petr Pavel thanked the Czechs for their support of Ukraine at a rally in Prague
On Saturday, the Together for Ukraine event, organised by Post Bellum, People in Need, Million Moments for Democracy, Díky, že můžem and the European Congress of Ukrainians, took place on Old Town Square in Prague. According to police estimates, around 8,000 people took part in the gathering. Ceskenoviny and Expats reported on the event.
In his speech, Petr Pavel thanked the Czechs for supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. He stated that the nature of future peace will affect Europe's security for a long time and called on the Czech government to continue helping Ukraine until peace is achieved. The president also welcomed the continuation of the international initiative to supply ammunition, led by the Czech Republic.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Vasyl Zvarych noted that Ukraine is holding its defensive line in part thanks to the support of the Czech Republic. He also spoke about the solidarity of citizens and the initiative under which Ukraine receives artillery shells.
Before the rally, a march with a large Ukrainian flag took place from the National Museum to Old Town Square. Models of drones used by Russia to attack Ukraine were displayed in the squares of nearly twenty Czech cities.
As part of the events, an exhibition entitled Freedom at the Highest Price was opened, dedicated to Czech soldiers who died on Ukrainian territory. Cultural events will continue throughout the following week, including film screenings and discussions in English.
Similar events took place in Brno, Ostrava, Plzeň, Olomouc and Zlín. Representatives of the Ukrainian community spoke in Brno. According to the Czech Ministry of Labour, in the first three quarters of last year, the state's income from Ukrainian refugees was twice as high as the cost of assistance and amounted to 11.7 billion crowns.
According to the Czech Statistical Office, there are about 613,000 Ukrainians legally residing in the country, which is the highest per capita figure among European Union countries.
